Shale shakers and screens for them

Abstract

A screen support for supporting screening material of a screen assembly for use on a shale shaker for separating components of material introduced thereto, the screen support having a body, a plurality of spaced apart holes through the body, each of said holes for receiving part of a fastener used for releasably connecting the screen assembly to a shale shaker; the screen support in certain aspects being a frame, a perforated plate, a strip support or a unibody structure; a screen assembly with such a support; such a screen assembly, in certain aspects, with a plastic grid or layer with corresponding fastener holes; a shale shaker with any such screen assembly; and methods of their use.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A shale shaker, for separating components of material introduced thereto, the shale shaker comprising 
       a basket,  
       a collection receptacle beneath the basket,  
       a deck on the basket for mounting a screen assembly thereon, and  
       the screen assembly comprising  
       a support,  
       screening material on the support,  
       the support having a plurality of openings therethrough suitable for the flow of fluid therethrough, the fluid from the material introduced into the basket,  
       the support including a body with a plurality of spaced apart support holes therethrough, each hole of the plurality of spaced apart support holes for receiving part of a fastener used for releasably connecting the screen assembly to the deck of the basket,  
       the deck of the basket having a plurality of spaced-apart deck holes corresponding to the plurality of spaced-apart support holes through the body of the support, and  
       fasteners connecting the screen assembly to the deck, each fastener passing through the screening material, through a support, and into a deck hole.  
     
     
       2. The shale shaker of  claim 1  wherein the fasteners are from the group consisting of threaded fasteners, screens, bolts, locking fasteners, finger expansion fasteners, air injection fasteners, and friction-fit fasteners. 
     
     
       3. The shale shaker of  claim 1  wherein the fasteners are adhesively secured in place. 
     
     
       4. The shale shaker of  claim 1  wherein the screening material comprises a plurality of layers of screen mesh. 
     
     
       5. The shale shaker of  claim 1  wherein the support is from the group consisting of perforated plate, frame, strip support and unibody structure. 
     
     
       6. The shale shaker of  claim 1  wherein the screening material is substantially flat on the screen support. 
     
     
       7. The shale shaker of  claim 1  wherein the screening material has undulating undulations with ridges and valleys above the screen support. 
     
     
       8. The screen assembly of  claim 7  wherein there are screen holes through the ridges of the screening material through which a portion of a fastener is insertable. 
     
     
       9. The shale shaker of  claim 1  wherein the support comprises a tubular frame with four sides and a plurality of crossmembers between the four sides.